Ignition system.



L. I. WERNER.

IGNITION SYSTEM., APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, ISI?.

1,254,182. 'I Patented Ja11.22,1918.

TD Pz. U55

w me ZYIIIFIIIIIIYYIIIIIIIIIL IWW LEO J. WERNER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 SPLITDORF ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented aan. 2a, reis.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LEo J. WERNER, a citizen of Russia, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State Aof New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems, of which the following is a specification.

In starting internal combustion engines where the engine is large or the grade of fuel lon7 it is very essential that ignition sparks be obtained at low rotative speeds of the engine. After the engine has been started it has been found that the magneto will enable the 'engine to give the fullest amount of power which it is capable of delivering and it has, therefore, been the practice, in a great many cases, to use an auxiliary source of ignition for starting, such as a battery and coil or a specially arranged starting magneto. Many engines are started on compression due tov the fact that an internal combustion engine will stop with a charge of combustible gas, in a partially compressed state, in one or more of the cylinders, depending onthe number thereof, so that if a spark is produced in this cylinder it will usually start the engine. In aerofplane work where the engine cannot be started on compression after having been out of use for some time itx is customary to take hold of the propeller blades and turn the engine over, to draw gas into the engine cylinders, and then to switch on the ignition and operate the starting magneto, or its equivalent, which in many cases has nomechanical connection with the service magneto or any gf the driving parts of the engine.

It is an object of my invention to overcome the difficulty of hard starting by providing means of obtaining a spark or shower of sparks, at the proper time, no matter how slow the rotative speed of the engine is, while I also provide means for utilizing the magneto for service ignition. i

It is another object of my invention to provide a system that will be applicable to aero and hydro plane engines as well as to automobile and marine engines.

In starting the engine it is essential that the spark be retarded so that no back-kick will result and it is another object of my invention to arrange and co'rdinate the parts entering into my system in such manner that when starting on the auxiliary source of ignition'current it will be practically impossible to get a back-kick, even though the spark timing lever be left considerably advanced, all of which will be apparent after a study of the specification and drawing.

Further objects of my invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art without specifically pointing them out.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the parts entering into my ignition system, showing theservice magneto and its circuit breaker and distributer together with the auxiliary source of starting current and controlling switch for both sources of ignition current.

Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating the method of insulating the auxiliary stationary contact on the main breaker box.

In the drawing, 1 illustrates a service magneto used for furnishing ignition current to the engine under normal running. The magneto shown is of the Dixie inductor type, having field pole pieces 2 and 3 between which are rotated inductors 4; and 5 by means of shaft 6. Bridging the pole pieces 2 and 3 is a yoke 7 on which is wound the primary 8 of an induction coil, and secondary 9. The breaker box 10, which is shown diagrammatically below the magneto 1, is adapted to be carried thereon in any suitable manner. Pivotally mounted on the breaker box is the usual breaker arm 11 carrying a contact 12.` Stationary contact 13, properly insulated from the breaker box, carries an adjustable contact 14. Breaker arm 11 carries a piece of wearing material 15, usually fiber,- which is adapted to be engaged by the cam 16 carried on the shaft 6.

Mounted on the breaker box 10, and insulated therefrom by suitable insulators shown in Fig. 2, is a stud 17 carrying an adjustable contact 18 whichcoperates with the Contact 19 carried on the member 20, that is fastened to the end of the breaker arm by a bolt 21 which passes through the wearing piece 15, thereby serving to hold the member20 and wearing piece 15 to the breaker arm 11, which is connected to theA metal frame work of the breaker box through its mounting thereby grounding the same to the frame work of they magneto. The magneto '1 carries a distributer block 22 which is shown on a more enlarged scale at the upperpart of the drawing.l Within the distributer block 22 is a distributer nger 23 in -the end of which is an annular metal ring 24. Running on the metal ring 24 is a brush 25 connected to terminal post 26 on"` the block 22. The linger 23 carries a brush 27 which distributes current, received through brush 25 running on the ring 24, to a suitable number of distributing contacts 28, only one of which is illustrated. Finger 23 is driven by a gear 29 that is adapted to be operated by pinion (not shown) which may be attached to Shaft 6. Fastened to the distributer block 22 is a spindle 30 which passes through the insulator 31. The spindle 30 serves to .connect the end of the secondary winding 9 to the binding post 32. The switch 33 carries on a suitable insulating block a series of studs 34 to 45 inclusive. A switch lever 46 is adapted to operate al movableblade on which is suitably mounted three metallic sectors 47, 48 and 49. The sector 47 is of suitable size to bridge three contact studs while the sector 48 is of suitable size to bridge two and the sector' 49 is of suitable length to bridge either the studs 43 and 44 or 44 and 45, for the purpose to be pointed out later.

I is an induction coil having a vibratory arm 53 connected to the primary 50, one lend of which is grounded. 52 illustrates the magnetic core of the induction coil I and 51 is the secondary, one end of which is grounded, the other end of which is connected to contact stud 45. The contact stud 43 is connected to terminal post 32 of the distributer block 22 and contact44.is..connected to terminal post 26. B is a suitable, battery, one terminal of which is connected to contact 54, preferably adjustable, ofthe induction coil I, the other terminal being connected to switch contact stud 34. Switch. contact stud 35 is connected to stud 172 on the breaker box 10 while contact studs 37 39 and 41 are interconnected and joined to the contact block 13 on the breaker box. One end of -primary winding 8 is also connectedto block 13. Contact studs 40 and 42 are interconnected and joined to a stationary contact '55 upon which a switch lever 56 is adapted to impinge, the push switch lever 56 being connected to switch contact 36 andthe latter cross connected to switch contact 38..

As shown in the drawing the switch 33 is illustrated with "handle 46 in the battery position and in this position the circuitl through the primary of the induction coil I, may be traced as follows: from ground, winding 50 to contacts 53, 54, battery B to contact 34, through segment 47, contact 35 to stud 17 onthe breaker box, through contacts 18 and 19, member 20,-breaker arm 11 to ground. The secondary 51 is closedv through the distributer by way of contact v45, segment 49, contact 44, terminal 26 to the brush 25 whence it is distributed by brush 27 toA the Various contacts 28 to the spark plugs of the engine cylinders.

In tlming a magneto on an engine it is customary practice to time the same so that themagneto breaker points, such as 12 and 14 are just beginning to separate when one of the pistons (considered as #1) reaches .its maximum on the compression stroke with the breaker box in its fully retard position. i

lThat is to. say, the contacts 18 and 19 are timed with respect to the engine considerably later than the contacts 12 and 14. As to the timing of the auxiliar or battery c ircuit, this is similar to the i ea expressed in Lang application, Serial No. 68,688, led

December 27, 1915, but the circuit controlling features of the battery system are much simpler than in the above mentioned Lang structure.

With the circuits in the condition described it will be seen that the induction coil I, produces ignition current to the spark lugs. At the same time it willbe understood that the primary 8 o'f the service magneto 1 is grounded .at 55 through contacts 39 and 40 by means of segment 48 so that the engine will run on the auxiliary or starting source of current until the switch handle 46 is thrown to magneto position, in which position it will be noted that the segment 49 connects contacts 43 and 44 together bringing into the distributer circuit the secondary winding 9 ofthe magneto, while the segment 47 is moved to cross the contacts 37 and 38 and the segment 48 is moved to' a neutral position shown in dotted lines at 57. In this position of the switch it will .be possible, through the cross connections indicated, to ground the magneto by the push button 56 without throwing the switch The switch thereby stopping the engine. 56 may also be used to start on compression with the switch in battery position, should at any time the contacts 18 and 19 be open at the circuit breaker. With the switch lever 46 in the off position the segment 47 takes a neutral position, shown in dotted lines at 58, and the segment 48 takes the position to cross contacts 41 and 42 thereby grounding the magneto and thus stopping the .engine'so that in addition to stopping the engine by means of the push lever 56 above described the engine may be stopped by throwing the switch to the off position.

By my arrangement of apparatus as above described it will be seen that I have provided an auxiliary source of ignition current utilizing a main distributer, which in some cases may be mounted on the'engine itself, and not on theservice magneto and in which the same breaker arm that controls the service magneto also controls the action of the auxiliary ignition. While Iv ha-ve shown a high tension magneto of the Dixie type it will be understood that any other type of vhigh tension magneto may be used and that various modifications may be made in the distributer, circuit breaker and switch since those shown are diagrammatic merely for illustrating the nature of my invention. Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In an ignition system, the combination of a service magneto having primary and secondary windings, a circuit breaker carrying contacts on either end, one of which controls the circuit of said primary winding,

an auxiliary ignition device having primary and secondary windings, an interrupter in circuit with said primary winding, a distributer, a' switch for switching the secondary of the service magneto out of circuit and the secondary ofthe auxiliary ignition device into the distributer circuit, said switch yalso serving to connect the second contact of the said circuit breaker into circuit with the primary of the auxiliary ignition device, for the purpose described.

2. In an ignition system, the combination of a magneto for furnishing service sparking Current, a circuit breaker for controlling the time of delivery of the sparking current of the magneto, a distributer fordistributing sparking current to the spark plugs, an auxiliary ignition device for furnishing starting sparking current and a vibratory interrupter for causing a shower of sparks from said ignition device, a switch for switching the service sparking current out of the distributer and switching in the starting sparking current, said circuit breaker serving to time the delivery of sparks from the auxiliary ignition device at a later period than it times the current from the service magneto.

3. In an ignition system, the combination of a service magneto adapted to be positively driven and having a distributer for distributing sparkingv current to spark plugs, and a 'circuit breaker for timing the passage of the sparking current to said plugs, of a self .operating ignition device and a source of current connected thereto,

and a switch for directing the current fromA said ignition device into said distributer circuit at the same time completing a circuit through the source ofpower to a stationary contact adapted to coperate with said circuit breaker for the purpose of timing the passage of sparking current to said of direct current, a stationary contact adapted to coperate withthe second of said contacts on the main circuit breaker, a

switch for connecting the primary of said induction coil and batte-ry in circuit with the last mentioned pair of contacts operated by the main circuit breaker, said switch also serving to connect the secondary of the induction coil with the distributer, as described. f

5. In an ignition system, the combinationA of a service ignition device having primary and secondary circuits, a main circuit breaker controlling one pair of contacts included in the primary circuit, a distributer, an auxiliary ignition device having primary and secondary circuits, a source of current, a second pair of contacts brought into closed position by the main circuit breaker after the first pair has been moved to open position, and a switch for including the source of current in circuit with the primary of the auxiliary ignition device and the second pair of contacts and also connecting the secondary of the auxiliary ignition device into the distributer, as described.

6. In an ignition system, the combination of a. source of service sparking current, a circuit breaker for controlling the time of delivery of the sparking current therefrom, a distributer for distributing the sparking current to spark plugs, an auxiliary source of sparking current and power means for operating the same, a switch for switching into the distributer the sparking current from the said auxiliary source in place of the sparking current from the service source, said switch also serving to switch an element of the said circuit breaker into a circuit whereby it controls the time of delivery of the sparking current from the auxiliary source so as to make it come at a period later than the current from the service source.

7. In an ignition system, the combination of a magneto for furnishing service sparking current, a circuit breaker for controlling the time of delivery of the sparking current therefrom, a distributer for distributing the sparking current to spark plugs, an auxiliary source of sparking current consisting of an induction coil having primary and secondary windings with a vibrator and battery in the primary circuit, a switch for switching into the distributer the sparking current from the said auxiliary source in place of the sparking current from the service magneto, said switch also serving to switch an element of said circuit breaker `into circuit with the battery and vibrator whereby it controls the time of delivery of. the sparking current from the auxiliaryv 8. In an ignition system, the combination with means for preducing service sparking current adapted to be positively driven and a distributer for distributing the sparking current to spark plugs, and a circuit breaker having la pair of contacts@ for timing the passage of the sparking current to the spark plugs, of starting means operated by a battery and having an interrupter for producing sparking current impulses, a second pair of contacts controlled by said circuit breaker, at a later rotative period than the first, and a switch for directing the current from the starting means into the distributer circuit at the same time connecting the battery and interrupter in circuit with ythe second I lpair'of contacts so that current impulses from the starting means are timed later 'than theservice sparking current.

9. In an ignition system for explosive engines, sparkproducing coils having primary and secondary windings, a single circuit controlling lever having a contact at either end, one of said contacts being in the primary circuit of one coil and the other in the primary circuit of the other coil, and means for operating said controlling lever to first open the primary of one coil and then close the primary ofthe other coil, a distributer and a switch for switching the secondary of the last mentioned coil into the distributer while disabling the action of the first. j

10. In an ignition system for explosive engines, a service magnetohaving a circuit controller for timing the sparking current from said magneto, a wearing element carried by the controller, a cam for engaging the wearing element to actuate said controller, a contact member carrying a contact fastened to the .end of the controller adjacent the wearing piece, astationary contact to coperate with the last mentioned contact, an induction coil having primary and secondary windings, a battery, a distributer andl switch for connecting the primary of the induction coil, battery and said contacts into circuit at the same time connectingthe sec-- ondary winding of the induction coil through the distributer and disabling the service magneto. A

1l. In an ignition system, lthe combination of a'service ignition device havlng'privmary and secondary circuits, a main circuit pair of contacts and also connecting 4the sec-v ondary of the auxiliary ignition device into the distributer, the said switch also serving at the same time to close a circuit for disabling the service ignition device.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

` LEO J. WERNER. 

